


Sit! Stay! Uh... Stiles?

by TheBadassIsIn



Series: Triple Dog Dare Verse [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, Derek and Stiles are Mates, M/M, Mates, POV Multiple, References to Supernatural (TV), Sheriff Stilinski Finds Out, Stilinski Family Feels, Wolf Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-14
Updated: 2013-08-14
Packaged: 2017-12-23 10:17:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/925193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBadassIsIn/pseuds/TheBadassIsIn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Derek. I don't think I want to know why you're here, but please tell me it has nothing to do with werewolves."<br/>"Dad, can you at least let him in the house?"<br/>"I'm sorry. Does he need to be invited in or he can’t enter like in the movies?"<br/>"That's vampires."<br/>"My mistake!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sit! Stay! Uh... Stiles?

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Stiles and Derek coming out to the Sheriff similar to TGWKTM but with a happy ending.

Derek leaned in the doorway to the living room watching as Stiles gathered his things in no particular order, darting around from room to room and back again. He was obviously thinking too hard about something and it was stressing him out. Most likely what he was going to tell his father.

Derek understood. He had no idea how to approach that death trap either. Every time the thought entered his mind all he could smell was the back of the police cruiser and his stomach would drop. But then Stiles would zoom by, filling Derek’s noise with his sweet scent and he would go back to watching his mate again. The cycle continued for about an hour until Stiles had run out of things to collect and was just pacing. They were finally alone, Isaac thankfully going with Scott to look at a motorcycle he found in the paper. “Stiles?”

“I know, I just don’t know. I mean. What do we even tell him? Everything? Nothing? What even are we? What does mate mean? I can’t say mate without everything else so are we like friends? Boyfriends? Werewolf married? Oh god, are we married? We didn’t even-”

“Stiles. Breathe.” He wasn’t having a panic attack, not yet. In fact he seemed pretty calm and oddly focused, just focused on too many things for Derek to handle at once. “We tell him everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yeah. But you know your dad best and how much to tell him at once. If you don’t think he can handle everything right away or that he will do something… “

“Do you not trust him?”

“I trust you.” Stiles stopped his pacing and looked at him with wide eyed bravado. Derek realized that he had probably never said it before. He never realized it fully himself, but it was true. After all, how many times had he trusted Stiles with his life and the lives of the pack? “I do. And your dad is important to you. But still, we don’t have to tell him everything today. Maybe start with one thing first.”

“But everything is so mixed up!”

“I know.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

Derek walked over to his mate before he could start pacing again and gently pushed him back into a chair. He sat down across from him and watched Stiles legs continue to work and his shoulders tense. “What do you want to do?”

“Label us.” He waved frantic hands between them. “This.”

“Mates.”

“Human world label it. Dad and school label it.”

Derek took a minute to think about that. Dating wasn’t really true. Boyfriend was something that sounded so small but hit closer. Committed. That’s what Derek was, but was Stiles? “Together.”

Stiles gave him a small smile and a nod. He seemed to like the answer or at least accepted it for now. That didn’t really solidify anything for Derek though, especially when Stiles spaced out again, legs shaking and looking a nervous wreck. When Stiles stayed quiet for a few more minutes a new thread of fear wrapped its way around Derek’s spine.

“Are you more afraid to tell your dad about werewolves or about me?” He knew it sounded a little needy and he honestly didn’t know where this new insecurity came from. Maybe it was leaking off Stiles, maybe he was letting himself feel actual emotions again, either way it was terrifying and he couldn’t bring himself to look at Stiles again out of shear embarrassment.

“Derek…” Stiles sighed and Derek knew that when he took time to develop an answer instead of just going with his typical filterless babble it was going to mean something. But that didn’t mean he was going to like it. “I’ve tried to come out to my dad before, mostly just kidding around and he always took it as jokes. Which, yeah, kind of my fault, but he never even paused to question it so I’m nervous about telling him I’m…  _together_ with a guy. Then, I’m afraid to tell him it’s you because I got you arrested. And that was all my fault too but I know he’s going to over-react and just see you as the  _Derek-in-the-back-of-the-cruiser_ who me and Scott accused of stupid shit and not the Derek that’s been my friend and would let himself be arrested or take the brunt of an attack to protect us.

“And then werewolves. Because I know his detective brain is going to hone straight in on the animal attacks and weird deaths and he’s going to want to investigate. And I don’t think he would attack you or arrest you again without looking deep into things, but while he’s investigating he’s putting himself in danger. And then do we talk about hunters? Because if we don’t that puts more suspicion on you but if we do I know he’s going to go straight to the Argents for answers because they’re the “human” side of this. It’s what I leaned towards even if I didn’t trust it when I found out.”

Derek was right, he didn’t like it. But that didn’t mean he didn’t respect the amount of thought and self-sacrifice Stiles was putting into protecting him and the pack. Derek’s chest kind of swelled at the thought that he didn’t just go straight to his dad without thinking it through. But that thread of fear also pulled tighter around his spine when he the thought that maybe Stiles would want to end things now and not have to say anything to protect the pack, himself and his father. He took a deep breath and finally looked at his mate again whose face was currently hiding in his hands. Secrets crushed people. And there were always some you had to keep, them keeping more than others, but the least he could do was let Stiles’ family in. He had to try.

“I think your dad probably knows more than you give him credit for. Even if he doesn’t know the supernatural side to things, he’s been able to track down a lot of what’s happened to the people responsible anyway. That and he loves you.”

Stiles drags his hands down his face to look at Derek again and huffs a laugh. When he doesn’t speak Derek continues. “He raised you mostly on his own to be open minded and accepting and a good person. I can’t imagine he would be anything else himself and I think we’re over thinking this and need to just do it.”

“You’re probably right.”Stiles says, leaning back into the chair and looking like he’s finally relaxing. “Now I just need to figure out how to tell him.”

“You could bring him to the training session tomorrow.”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

“Lydia and Allison are coming, Scott said his mom had to work but at least there will be other humans.”

“But the purpose of the training session tomorrow is reaction under stress and finding another way to anchor your wolf when having control issues right?”

“Yes…”

“Because you’re having some trouble adjusting.” Derek doesn’t say anything. He’s the born wolf, he’s the alpha. He’s not having trouble he’s just… things are changing and he’s not used to it yet. And Stiles, of all people, challenging his authority should not be making anger rumble in his chest. He stays in perfect control but something in Stiles eyes says his mate knows he’s putting in the extra effort. “If he gets upset and wants to take me home, maybe even physically forces me into a car or starts yelling at me, are you going to be okay? Because ripping my dad limb from limb might be a deal breaker on the whole getting him to like and accept werewolves thing.”

Derek could handle it. He would be fine. He would make himself be fine. His wolves’ hackles rising at the thought of anyone, even Stiles father pushing him into a car had him adjusting some details. “Maybe we should tell him tonight and if he wants to see more wolves or thinks we’re dangerous then he can go to the training session?”

“That’s sounds like a better plan.” Stiles smiled at him and the wolf basked in its light before he was thinking of another detail and the Sheriff’s less than impressed view of him compared to someone like Scott who was practically a second son and Stiles’best friend.

“Who do you want to come with you?”

“What?”

“I mean, I know you want to tell him about us, but if you’d rather have Scott go-“

“Derek, stop being an idiot. I want you.” Derek barely had time to think about how much he wanted to kiss Stiles for saying that before he was speaking again. “Maybe just not right away though.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I want you to meet my dad and I know he’s going to want proof. But maybe you should sit out the possible freak out and yelling and come in after?”

* * *

Why did he say that? Why was he stupid and asked to be alone for this? He was such an idiot. Of epic proportions! Right now Stiles was sitting on the couch watching a lion eat its young, probably not the best thing to be watching at the moment, while the Chinese food cooled on the coffee table and he waited for his dad.

He knew his dad was going to know something was up as soon as he saw the Happy Dragon take out containers. Chinese food was banned unless it was from the fancy sit down restaurant in town that did the steamed portions and had more heart healthy options. Stiles was a little desperate for approval at the moment so he would pretend the vegetable fried rice wasn’t actually fried and his dad would go easy on the punishment – that was the unspoken deal of shenanigans past.

Realistically though, there should be no punishment. There should be hugs and acceptance and abcfamily drama music in the background. Stiles was optimistic about the acceptance but he wasn’t insane, he knew there would be scolding aplenty for putting himself in danger, for keeping his dad in the dark… for a lot of things. He just hoped the MSG did its magic and didn’t prompt a heart attack with the shocking news.

And now he had a whole other topic to dwell on and feel guilty over for the next forty five minutes. Which very slowly turned into two hours before his dad was dragging his feet through the door.

“Stiles, you didn’t have to wait up. I grabbed dinner with Tara and Ray at the-” his father paused and sniffed the air, stopping in his tracks to the stairs to turn back to the living room. “Is that Chinese?”

And so it begins. “Yeah dad. But if you don’t want to eat it, that’s fine. You really shouldn’t have it anyway.” And he would probably regret this, but he was going to dive right in,“I’ll give your half to Derek when he comes over.”

“Derek..?”

“Hale.”

His dad put on that carefully blank expression he saved for the particularly difficult criminals and lowered himself into a chair.“What did you do?”

And there it was. “For once, nothing. Except some lying I wanted to come clean about.”

“I’m shocked at this unforeseen turn of events.”

Stiles can’t help but laugh a little neurotically. “ _Supernatural_. Good one. Keep with that train of thought.”

“Come on Stiles, I have an early morning.”

“Right. Remember that body in the woods? Laura Hale?”

“The one I caught you looking for the other half of in the middle of the night?”

“That’s the one. Well I wasn’t alone.”

“Scott. I know.”

“And there was someone else too.”

Stiles rambled about everything he could think of. About Scott being bitten and going back to the woods to look for his inhaler and finding Derek and everything that changed until his dad was stopping him when he was talking about digging up the wolf and watching it turn into the missing half of Laura.

“Stiles…” And there was that look. That disappointed look he had been getting for the last year whenever this stuff came up and he lied. Now he was telling the truth and it was still there because his dad just didn’t believe. He slid his phone out of his pocket and sent a quick text to Derek who he knew was lurking down the street. “I’m really tired and not amused. Is there a reason you’re getting between me and my four hours besides nightmares you’re a little old for?” Maybe he should change tactics for a while until his proof arrived.

“I’m bi?”

“Nice try.”

“Dad-”

“Stiles! Tell me or let me go to bed.”

“I just did.”

“I really don’t know what’s going on with you lately. I don’t know if you actually believe what’s coming out of your mouth and you need help, because I will help you, or if this is just another lie while you go off and pull some scam with your friends, but Stiles. Just stop. Please.”

“Dad, just listen-”

“I have been  _listening_! For an hour while my son talks about werewolves and hunters and magic ropes! Life isn’t television Stiles!” There’s a knock at the door and Stiles sniffs away the tears that had started building up in his eyes as his dad screamed out his frustrations. He had it coming, this is what lies did to families, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt. His dad stands up, straightens his work cloths, clears his throat and goes to answer the door. He was holding back some tears too and it made Stiles feel like the worst son in the world, but hopefully the next few minutes would clear everything up.

His dad answered the door.“Derek.”

"Sir."

"I don't think I want to know why you're here to eat my dinner, but please tell me it has nothing to do with werewolves."

"Dad, can you at least let him in the house?"

"I'm sorry. Does he need to be invited in or he can’t enter like in the movies?"

"That's vampires."

" _My mistake_. Come in Derek and kindly explain why my son thinks you howl at the moon."

Derek always was more of a man of action than words. He comes in, closing the door behind him to stand in front of it, probably blocking his dad from running for the hills if he has a bad reaction. Stiles refuses to find that funny. And then he's looking to Stiles like he's asking permission. This night can't get much worse, so he just nods. And Derek's eyes glow. It seems he's taking it one step at a time to gauge the Sheriff's reaction which is equal parts frustrating, because Stiles just wants it over with already, and probably a really good idea considering how well things were going so far. His dad just tilts his head so Derek takes it a step further, bringing up his hands slowly to show off the claws and then raising his face again, fangs in full effect.

  
"No. I'm sorry." His dad is half laughing, looking between Stiles and Derek like they've both gone insane. And that's it, now Stiles is yelling too because there's denial but this is ridiculous.

  
"Are you serious? Look at him!"

  
"Can’t you get contacts and…." The sheriff backs up a bit, walking backwards towards Stiles. He's keeping up his sarcastic smile even though his eyes have gone serious. "God this isn’t funny guys. I don’t know what you’re trying to do but you can stop." He keeps walking backwards and Stiles would almost be afraid he might bolt if he didn't stop right next to him in an attempt to block his son from the potential danger.

  
Derek raises his hands in an attempt to look innocent, but Stiles had to give it to the alpha, Derek couldn't look "not dangerous" to save his life. "Sir-" he was saying again, but turned to glare at Stiles when he couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore. "-what Stiles!"

  
"The _I surrender_  hands you’re sporting are only showing off your claws. Nice try though. Oh, and you lisp when you’re all fangy. It’s kinda cute." Stiles manages after a few gasped breaths, laughing again at Derek's scowl.

"Shut up." He mumbles, a marvelous mix or scary and embarrassed. But then the moment is over, because his dad decides maybe this could actually be happening and not some too many hours of overtime dream.

  
"Hey! Do it again." He's saying, hands gesturing to Derek's face a little wildly. "Just, reverse it and then do it again. I need to see this if it’s real. Is that everything? Show me everything." Suddenly it's pretty clear who Stiles inherited his babbling from. This night was full of surprises.

  
"Sir, I don’t think-"

  
"You show me right now." His dad said, intimidating Sheriff voice in full effect. "And stop calling me sir." Stiles had to bite his lip to keep the laughter from bubbling up again.

Derek reversed the change and looked to Stiles again. When Stiles nodded, he rolled his eyes and went back to his beta form much faster than before. His dad froze for a second before leaning back into Stiles and moving a hand to the holster on his hip.“And how long have you known about this?"

"Uhhhhhhhh...year?" Stiles said, shrugging it off.

"Has he ever attacked anyone? Those bruises-"

"Dad, he can hear you. Really well actually. And no, he's in control and he's good and I know we accused him of some bad things but I swear dad, it's okay."

"Right. So what else is true?

"Sheriff Stilinski-" Stiles chokes a little holding back more laughter now that Derek has two s' to get out. He shifts back and glares at Stiles before continuing, spoiling all the fun. "-I know we kept you in the dark for a while and that was mainly my choice so don't take it out on Stiles, but I'm here now to answer questions if that's okay. If you want me to leave, I'll go."

The sheriff turned his back on Derek, which was a huge sign of trust Stiles was glad to see, and looked at his son for what to do next. "Come on dad, we need to talk." He went back to his chair, picking up one if the take out containers before Stiles could stop him and gesturing to the other two.

"Have a seat Derek." Derek sat on the couch next to Stiles, right up against his side, and Stiles could see some of the anxiety show itself in his mates face before it melted away. "So what else is there?"

* * *

Stiles finds himself saying hello to another sunrise without sleep as he and Derek continue to tell his dad their side of the recent events in Beacon Hills. To his credit, the man doesn’t yawn once as the hours tick by and he even starts to take notes complete with colored post-its.

"So this Kanima thing, that's weird right? I've never heard of something like that even in the movies, why did it happen?”

"Because sometimes the shape that you take reflects the kind of person you are." Stiles answers, in his best supportive,  _you are the beauty inside you_  voice not even trying to hide his smirk at the, he'll call that a loving glare Derek is giving him.

"It's complicated. But it comes down to a lack of identity. It's not something you need to worry about anymore."

"Because he's a werewolf now?"

"Yes." His dad ran his hand over his face.

"Alright. Derek I want your cell number and I am serious when I say that if I call, you answer. Everytime. And if another... anything comes in to town, you tell me the second you find out and you keep me up to speed on every step it takes.

Stiles can sense Derek's hackles rise at the order and moves his hand to rest on his leg. He doesn't miss his father's eyes track the movement or the way they narrow, but Derek is agreeing to the conditions so he keeps his hand right where it is. Especially when his dad continues. "And no changing underage  _kids._ You want a pack, you wait until they are 18 and can make the decision as an adult. If anyone loses control I want to know." Derek tenses again and even Stiles goes to speak up on that one but his dad won't hear it, just holds up a hand to continue "I'm not Gerard, I'm not going to kill anyone but I am the Sheriff and I need to know when someone gets hurt and deal with it accordingly. We’ll discuss those terms if it comes to it because I have a feeling your... condition won't agree with a jail cell very well."

"That's reasonable. But it's not necessary. Everyone is in control." Derek spoke in cut sentences through his teeth, he was still in human form but he wasn’t the picture of calm at the moment.

The Sheriff narrowed his eyes at him again before he nodded and looked to Stiles. "I'm trusting you to keep me in the loop now. No more secrets."

"No more secrets dad."

"Good. Alright, so we talked about hunters, kanima, druids... let's talk more about you Derek. You're an Alpha?"

Derek shifted on the couch but kept eye contact, "Yes."

"But you're not the Alpha that..."

"No."

"Dad-"

"I just want to know what his powers are and how he keeps them in check."

"You can go to the training session tomorrow. Later today, whatever. Derek's working with everyone on their control. So yeah, you can see it for yourself."

"You won't be the only human there. Allison and Lydia are coming and Melissa McCall has been stopping by but has work this time."

The Sheriff rubs his eyes seeming to notice for the first time that it's morning. “I have work." Stiles nods, he should have known that was coming. "But you know what, I think I can take one of the sick days I've been saving up for three years." Stiles nearly dies. He tries to see it as a good thing that his dad wants to get involved, but is a little jealous it took werewolves to get him to actually call out. "I'm going to call in, tell them I'm working from home today. You haven't distracted me from talking about his powers Stiles, I'll be right back." When his dad walks into the kitchen and starts talking on his cell Stiles whips around to whisper quickly at Derek.

"So you're a born wolf and it's who you are so I don’t think that you would think it's embarrassing or anything but it’s probably a good idea that you don’t tell him  _everything_ everything. Like heat and stuff, he doesn’t need to know that."

"I wasn't planning on it. Does he know we're...  _together_ yet?" Stiles loved how he said together. Like it meant something so much more but he still wasn't sure about admitting what that was yet. Stiles was okay with that. He wanted a label, but it was a little soon and this one was just for them. Another cute thing to add to Derek's list.

"I tried, he thought I was joking again and got pissed."

"How do you bring up the subject? Knock knock?"

"Very funny. Why don't you try it?"

"Fine."

"Fine." Stiles thought Derek looked a little paler after that but he wasn't going to say a thing. He heard his father tell the deputy on call he would be in later to pick up some files and get off the phone. Stiles grabbed Derek's hand to give it a quick squeeze before his dad came back into the room.

"Powers, I'm guessing strength, agility, I saw your uh... claws. What else?"

"We're fast. We can hear better and our sense of smell is stronger." His dad looked down at what was probably a three day old uniform and frowned a bit. It was weird to know he could be so self-conscious about things like this too. Derek thankfully ignored the movement, because next he was sandwiching in the bomb. "Alphas have the ability to turn people, we can seek out our life mate and bond with them and we each have a unique form based on a family line." Very smooth. Stiles elbowed Derek and gave him a well-deserved nod for subtly planting that seed and offering the distraction his dad took.

"What's your form? Is it the same as Peter's?" His dad hadn't even seen the thing outside of one crumby surveillance shot and he still had that not so hidden look of disgust on his face. Stiles turned to Derek for a laugh at Peter's expense and saw him looking happy as he explained that his wolf form was very rare and respected and he was honored to take after his mother.

This was nothing like the surly, worried Derek who showed the pack his wolf the night before. Stiles melted a little. Derek always walked around with his confident _born-wolf-alpha-grr_ mask on, but he had never seemed so proud to be who he was before. And still so nervous. Maybe he was trying to impress the Sheriff with the information. Stiles looked back at his dad and the seven hundredth look of disbelief he was wearing. It seemed to be working.

"Do you have complete control of that too?"

And Derek sighed his seven hundredth sigh in response. "I’m a bit more animalistic, but it's still me and I am in control."

"Alright. Ready whenever you are." Derek nodded and got up to leave the room again. "Where are you going?"

Derek just turned around to look between Stiles and the Sheriff. "Uh..."

"Dad, I haven't seen that yet either. It's probably involves stuff" Stiles gestures over his body in his best interpretation of  _holy god Derek probably gets naked_ that he could without drooling. "you don't want to see."

Stiles mouth is suddenly very dry and he swears his dad waits for the middle of a giant gulp of water to say, "We're all men, noting we haven't seen." while looking pointedly at Stiles as if fishing for something. Maybe he knew. Stiles wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of choking. At least not until Derek's shirt gets throw in his face. Stiles can’t rip it off fast enough and is a little disappointed to find out Derek was sacrificing his jeans for the sake of his dignity. At least, he  _was_ a little disappointed until he realized that he probably still had on jeans because maybe he didn't wear underwear and that was something Stiles definitely wanted to explore.

Derek rolls back his shoulders and his muscles start to shake as if they're seizing up before he stretches forward and down and everything starts to shift. Stiles can feel Derek and he doesn’t seem to be in pain, but that doesn’t go along with the sounds of bones popping and breaking in the air. All he can feel is incredibly nervous. Maybe that's both their nerves mixed together. He hopes so because if that's just him or just Derek he's surprised they haven't died yet. But still no pain. Which is kind of comforting because that looks incredibly painful and a whole lot of weird. He takes in his dad's scrunched up face, good- he' not the only one that thinks so.

When Derek's done, he steps out of the pants, not nearly as hulked out and destroyed as Stiles expected, and shakes out his fur like a dog that just got a bath. He looked to Stiles before approaching his dad who did not look as calm as Stiles would like. Then again, when he saw the wolf for the first time, he wasn't exactly calm either. It was whatever shred of self-preservation he had left activating. The wolf approached his dad slowly, head lowered and tail wagging probably on purpose to show he wasn't going to hurt him. Stiles really needed to come up with some more dog jokes. He sniffed the Sheriff's shoes and then pressed his face against one.

"Sit! Stay! Uh, Stiles…"

"He told you, he's a little more animalistic. He's scenting you, stop being so afraid."

"It's a wolf. I'm no more afraid than any sane person should be when one is about to bite off my foot." Derek looks back to Stiles and raises a wolfie brow before trotting over and laying down on the floor in front of him. Stiles pushed the coffee table aside to make room.

" _HE_ is Derek. He is putting his scent on you so that other packs or supernaturals in the area know not to hurt you or they deal with him. He's protecting you. And he can understand everything you're saying right now." With the distance between himself and the wolf, the Sheriff comes back to himself a bit and has the decency to mumble an apology Derek nods to. "He says it's okay and you're welcome." Derek whips his head up and lets out a little annoyed huff. "Fine, he didn't say you're welcome." Derek nods again and paws Stiles foot. "Because you're pack and family and he does whatever he needs to protect family." Derek nods again and goes back to lying down, eyes on the Sheriff waiting for approval.

"You got all that from a look, huh?"

"He's pretty easy to read."

"You sure he's in control and understands everything?"

"He said he was. I trust him." Derek head butts his leg and Stiles grins down at him. It’s true. He wouldn't still be around let alone  _together_ with the alpha if he didn't."

"Can he prove it?"

"With what, a trick?"

"Something detailed." Derek sat back up again and gave his impression of a nod.

"Fine. Derek go find the stash of hidden candy bars my dad keeps in his room that he thinks I don't know about and bring them down." His dad turns a special shade of red Stiles can’t quite place as anger or embarrassment and Derek heads out of the room and up the stairs. "You realize this is ridiculous right?"

"The kid just turned into a wolf and you're telling me that testing his ability to understand is what's ridiculous."

"I told you I was sure."

"And I need to be sure he will understand if you ever tell him no when you feel threatened." A moment of silence passes between them as they listen to Derek’s claws clicking on the hard wood floor of his father’s room. "Are you still human?"

"Where did that come from?"

"Answer the question Stiles."

Stiles shakes his head at the emotional rollercoaster this day has been. "Yes, dad, I'm still human and I'm going to stay that way."

"Then how do you understand him?"

"I told you, he's easy to read. The guy doesn't talk much to begin with, it's not that hard." His dad gave him another calculating look before nodding. Derek comes down the stairs with the sound of the plastic bag full of candy and his dad relaxes into the chair again.

"If you're not a wolf or a witch or anything, why are you in the pack?"

Stiles curses doggy-Derek's lack of pda control as he tries to explain the importance of research while Derek practically climbs in his lap to lick his face. "I'm kind of a package deal with Scott - Jesus - and I'm king of research- watch where you're stepping -Without me – gah! - they would never know - oh come on Derek, that was in my mouth!" Stiles doesn't have to try very long before his dad's talking again.

"Who is Derek's mate bond thing with?" And there it is. Crap. At least that got Derek's attention. The wolf lets out a low whine and the Sheriff almost looks like he's doubting his gut and about to apologize before Stiles can't take it anymore.

"I need coffee. Do you need coffee? I'm... going to go make coffee." Stiles stands up to make a run for the kitchen when Derek starts whining again, pointedly looking at his pants. “Nope, you said fine, you agreed to be the one to bring it up." Derek yelps. "That didn't count! You need to actually say it." Stiles continues to the kitchen, whispering so just Derek can hear. "Go upstairs and borrow my sweat pants and just... please."

When Derek comes down, a pair of Stiles track pants low on his hips and all that smooth skin on display again as his makes his way back to his shirt, Stiles gapes a little bit remembering that it's his. Derek must smell the possession on him because he's checking behind him before pressing a quick kiss on his lips. "It'll be fine." he says before pressing another kiss to his throat. His hands come up to squeeze Stiles hips gently before he heads back into the living room to break the news.

Stiles stays in the kitchen for a while, listening as Derek repeats the mate line of questioning from last night. He still gets all tingly when he hears he’s in control. Stiles really wants to run one of the training sessions all of a sudden.

After a while, and once he's sure the conversation is still calm and hasn't involved any gun fire, Stiles takes his coffee and some for Derek and his father to the living room. There's a long pause after they all take a sip. Stiles presses his leg against Derek's and musters up all the courage he can. He decides not to think, just let his mouth do what it does best and run, "So this is the second part I brought up before Derek got here." Another pause as his father and Derek keep their eyes locked. He really thought maybe when he came out someone would actually be listening to him. Oh well, "Remember when I said I was bi?"

"Derek you said the relationship between mates could be a lot of things. Define yours with my son."

"That will be up to Stiles."

"Yes it will. But I'm asking you, what your relationship has been so far."

"Friendship and pack until last night."

"And what are you as of last night?"

"Together." Stiles can't fight the smile. The more he hears it, the more he loves that word and the more sparks it sends through him. But that doesn’t stop his growing anxiety at the stoic faced tennis match happening right now.

"You realize he's barely 17."

"Yes."

"And how old are you?"

"23."

"Dad, we haven't-"

"Stiles. Give me a minute alone with Derek please.”

* * *

Derek feels Stiles tense next to him. He feels the anger and embarrassment and disappointment boil over and spill through their connection and all he can do is offer the same hand squeeze Stiles gave him earlier and give a nod. His mate's eyes were still livid and he looked between Derek and his father before giving a nod of his own and getting up. "Don’t try to shoot him, regular bullets aren't going to do anything. I get you're probably going to threaten him, but remember he's a werewolf and an alpha so don't push it." Stiles looks back at him for a minute and speaks quietly, "I don't really get how the feelings stuff works yet, but if I feel like you're losing it I'll come down."

"We'll be fine." Derek listens to Stiles go upstairs and close his bedroom door. He swears when he sees the mess Derek made looking for the pants and Derek focuses his attention back on the Sheriff. They have another stare down for a moment before Derek forces his wolf to bow down to the older male and his mate's father. "When I said it was up to Stiles to define our relationship I meant that."

"I hope you did.'

"Sir... Sheriff Stilinski, you know from what I told you that I love your son. I know what kind of relationship I want, but I will never ask him to be anything more than a friend if that isn't what he wants."

"And you're not going to get tired of that?”

"Stiles has a way of making everyone around him happy. He's probably the best friend I've ever had and I'm not going to ruin that."

"You're not going to get jealous if he decides to date someone else?"

"I'm not going to promise that I won't try to intimidate them." The sheriff laughs despite himself at that and starts to unwind again. It takes a slight weight off Derek’s shoulders but he has a feeling he isn't going to be able to relax around this man anytime soon.

"Well I can't blame you there. How am I doing on that front by the way?"

But maybe he was wrong. "You're terrifying." Derek deadpanned. It wasn't really a joke, even through the lingering scent of fear and the unsteady heart beat something about the Sheriff was incredibly intimidating. It probably went back to that damn police cruiser. Or maybe it was just as simple as wanting Stiles' dad to like him.

"I don't smell like fear and stale coffee?" Derek doesn't try to hold back his grin. "Oh god. I do. You can smell fear?" Derek did the best he could to not laugh out loud and alert Stiles. He knew there was probably a shot gun speech on its way and he wanted to spare him that. He probably heard enough between Scott reminding him he knew how to neuter dogs and Lydia's promises of far more creative punishments.

"I'm used to people being afraid around me." The Sheriff's brow furrowed and Derek remembered he was supposed to be arguing his case to be allowed in Stiles' life. "That's probably not the best thing I could have said."

"No. But I think I know what you mean. You're a good kid, Derek. I remember you when you were growing up. Your family were good people."

"Thank you."

The Sheriff nods sadly, leaning forward and here it comes. "That being said, Stiles is my son, my boy. Don't think I'm bluffing when I say I will talk to Chris Argent about getting some silver rounds for my many, many guns. Did you know I've held the shooting range record for best shot since I got out of the academy?"

"Wolfsbane."

"What?"

"Silver will hurt, but I'll heal. Wolfsbane bullets will kill me. "

The Sheriff pauses, eyeing him up and down probably trying to decide if he’s telling the truth or not. "Why are you telling me that?"

"Because if I hurt your son, I will let you kill me."

"I'm trying really hard to hate you right now."

"You remind me a lot of Stiles."

"That's it. That’s the push I needed. I hate you."

"You're lying."

"My son's a good person to aspire to be." Derek just smiled, because that was absolute truth and the Sheriff couldn't look more proud. He was glad they were on the same page. Stiles might have his days were you couldn’t even begin to follow the crazy that was flying out of his mouth and other days where you wish sugar had never been discovered, but apart from that, he was brilliant. And stupidly brave and self-sacrificing. And humble even if he flaunted his abilities, he never believed they were as important or special as they are. "You're thinking about him right now aren't you?" Derek dropped his head but he's pretty sure the Sheriff couldn't miss the blush spreading to his ears. "You got it bad kid."

"Yeah."

"I want to pull Stiles out of all this. Lock him away were he can’t be an idiot who goes looking for murderers and picks fights with hunters and fucking werewolves but you know as well as I do that the lock would be picked in seconds and he'd just put himself in bigger danger trying to prove he could handle it."

"He's saved my life a couple times now. When we first met I used to shove him around, try to scare him, try to let him get hurt to show him he couldn’t handle it. But every time he came out on top and proved that we were the ones who couldn’t handle it without him. I know what you mean and I want to keep him safe, just try telling him that."

"I need you to promise me that you put his safety first if he tags along in a fight."

"It's already done, and the whole pack agrees."

"He's saved lives?" The Sheriff whispered, not really in disbelief but more like he wished he could have seen it.

"He's amazing."

"I know.” His face changes again and he looks up in what can only be described as pain. “Do we need to have the sex talk?"

"No." Derek’s eyes go wide, hint loud and clear, and no way was he about to get sex ed from his mates father during their already incredibly awkward first meeting outside a cruiser or interrogation room.

"Thank god. Alright, now let's pretend we're fighting so I don't lose my intimidating father credibility."

"Sounds good. Should I growl and throw some furniture?"

"Ah, that might be a bit much." He says before standing up and yelling, "Now get off my property and stay away from my son until I decide what to do with you!"

Derek laughs as he hears Stiles fall off his computer chair and runs out the door, slamming it behind him. He lopes around to the side of the house and climbs up to Stiles window, catching him just in time before he runs down the stairs to fight with his father.

"What happened? I was getting all these warm and fuzzy feelings and then he's screaming. I really don't think we have the emotion thing yet."

"We do. He likes me, we're fine." He says leaning in to give Stiles a kiss. What was supposed to be a peck turns into a hot slide of mouths Derek can’t stop himself from opening up to as Stiles wraps his arms around him. He hears the Sheriff coming up the stairs and tries to move away but Stiles retaliates by biting down on his lip and scraping his nails on the back of Derek’s neck in a way that makes him moan.

Stiles dives back into the kiss just in time for the Sheriff to throw open the door and start yelling again "What did I just say? Out!"

Derek manages to untangle himself from Stiles’ arms and jump out the window before Stiles can stop him.

"See you at the training session. I'll bring snacks!” Stiles calls out after him.

“By snacks you mean my candy bars don’t you?” He hears the Sheriff mumble and listens to Stiles laughter for as long as he’s able on his run home.

* * *

Derek changes into something he’s fairly certain he won’t miss if his betas tear it to shreds and reminds Isaac of the training session before heading over to his old house. He misses it sometimes. Not enough to leave the comfortable loft and move back to the no electricity, no running water, death trap that still smells of ash and is starting to smell like mold, but enough that he still sneaks out here and imagines how he would rebuild it every once in a while. It’s the perfect place to train, it’s where he learned his family’s lessons and the ruins and woods with the nearby stream provide optimal training material and challenging grounds. For right now though, what used to be the foyer seems like the perfect place to take a nap.

Or at least it would be if the first cars weren’t turning off the main roads and onto the dirt path a few miles out. Derek waits for a breeze to pass through the broken windows before he takes a deep breath. Lydia, she would be the first to arrive. Allison and Jackson are with her too. He’s not moving. They’re early, it’s their problem. He’s curious to know if Jackson can pick up that he’s here too. He takes deep breaths to slow his heart beat and waits.

“Why are you parking so far away? I’m in heels.”

“Because when Derek inevitably throws Scott through the woods, I don’t want him landing on my car. It’s your fault for wearing heels.” A car door slams and the other smaller engine, Allison’s, stops.

“Allison, I think I want that Taser now.”

“Wait until he’s out of the car.”

“Hey…”Jackson starts “Shit, Derek’s already here.” Derek smiles to himself. At least one of his betas was learning how to hone their senses outside of crisis.

He sighs and speaks up to the water and smoke stains lacing the roof and the spiders making their home there. “Shut up, I haven’t been to bed yet. Why are you here so early?”

“You’re sleeping in that pit?”

“Yes. Go away.”

“You said to be here for noon. It’s 11:45, what do you want me to do?”

“Shut. Up.”

“Fine. Allison why don’t you show Lydia how to use that thing in the woods. Away from me and further away from the house until people get here.”

“Where’s Derek?” Lydia asks. They don’t sound like they’re moving away.

“He’s pissy and trying to sleep. Shut up before he takes it out on me.”

“I’m not walking into the woods.”

“Then just shut up.”

“Don’t talk to me like that!”

“Guys!” Allison is calling. Derek gives up on sleep. Another car is coming up the drive. Not a car. Derek sits up and listens to the crackling revs and hiccupping pipes. He’s up, out of the house and into the woods before Scott’s scent hits him.

He watches the dirt bike nearly stumble over some fallen branches and divots and follows it back to the house. Jackson doubles over laughing watching Scott try to maneuver through the last few trees before braking next to the Porsche and taking off his helmet. “Hi guys. What’s so funny?”

“What the hell is that thing?”

“It’s my motorcycle.” Even Derek has to laugh a little at that.

“ _That_  is not a motorcycle. Get it away from my car before it catches whatever disease is making that noise.” Scott barely has time to catch the dirt bike before it crashes into Jackson’s Porsche. “McCall I swear to god! Get that thing away from my car!”

“Fine. Geeze, relax dude.” He pushes it away to stand by the porch before he hangs his helmet on a handle bar and tilts his head at Derek. Derek looks down for dust or cobwebs from where he was trying to sleep but sees nothing.

“What?”

“Nothing?” Derek rolled his eyes and leaned against the nearest tree to wait for the others.

Soon Erica and Boyd were running up. Erica stopped right in front of him and he sighed before snapping at her too. “What!”

“Why are you wearing a shirt?”

“I know right!” Scott says from the porch were he’s trying not to stare at Allison showing Lydia how to use the Taser.

“What are you talking about?”

“You barely ever were shirts to train. Especially when we’re outside.” Scott shrugs.

“I’m already missing the free show. I bet Stiles would have enjoyed it.”

Derek doesn’t have time to devote the proper amount of anger to his glare before he sees Jackson scenting the air. Confusion on his face as his nostrils flare. “Why do you smell like cops.”

“Not cops, Mr. Stilinski! Derek, did you tell the Sheriff?” Scott jumped off the porch eyes wide. “No way, you told him?!”

“About time.” Lydia mumbled. “Is he coming with Stiles?” Derek nods.

“ _And he’s coming tonight_? Does he know about me too? Was he mad? Does he hate me?”

“It ended with him screaming for me to get out of his house and stay away from his son.”

Isaac ran out of the woods. “Why is the Sheriff coming?”

“Derek told him everything and he kicked him out of his house.” Jackson recapped while pulling a leaf out of Lydia’s hair. He seemed a little tense but that’s what they were going to work on today so Derek let it go.

“He really said that?” Scott asked.

“Am I lying?” Derek returned leaning back against the tree again. It was none of their business and it wasn’t technically a lie. Putting a little fear into them might set the betas on their best behavior.

“Was it a  _let’s pretend to be fighting so Stiles still thinks I’m tough even though he utterly ruined me in the discipline department_ yell or did he really yell?” Derek didn’t say anything, didn’t move although it kind of amused him that the Sheriff had used that trick before. He wished he had known that going in. “Oh my God he really yelled?” Derek still didn’t say anything. “Derek I’m so sorry.” Now he kind of felt bad because Scott seemed sincere and coming from the kid who threatened to paralyze him and cut off his balls earlier, that kind of meant something. This was probably as close to best friend approval as he was going to get.

“Go bother Jackson.”

“Hey.” Jackson whined from where he was trying to steal Lydia’s Taser to hide while she wasn’t looking.

“Hey yourself. You’re going to wolf out today or I’ll have the Sheriff arrest you. Also, he knows everything and he was very accepting of all of you so be on your best behavior and prove that he can trust us.” He let his eyes go red and made eye contact with each of his betas to be sure they knew it was an order. “He’s reopening some old investigations and he’s going to help us if we have hunter or pack trouble again on the police front so be good. Or so help me god-”

“You’ll rip out our throats.” Scott mimicked.

“Yes. Because you want Stiles to stay don’t you? Make a good impression.” Jackson scoffed. “Who do you think you’re fooling Jackson?” Everyone looks down for once trying not to get in the middle of it. At least they’re taking it seriously.

“Fine.” Jackson mutters. He’d never admit it, but Derek knew Jackson thought of Stiles as a little brother to annoy and beat up. It wasn’t perfect, but at least he thought of him as family and didn’t want him to leave. “Are we going to start or what?”

“Yeah. First challenge, get Jackson to change. Go.”

* * *

“Why are we buying snacks again?”

“Because they have a ridiculous metabolism and will eat us if we don’t feed them.” He’s in the next aisle before he realized his dad is still standing next to the Oreo’s staring over the divider at him. “I’m kidding. They’re doing a heavy duty work out. Derek usually feeds them after but it makes me feel useful since I won’t be participating and it’s going to be an emotional one so junk food is probably a plus.”

“Why is it going to be emotional?” He asks, eyeing a box of dog biscuits with a mischievous glint in his eye Stiles knows well.

“I’m not even going to tell you not too because that’s hilarious. I just ask that you throw them at Jackson. And because Derek is helping them set up an anchor which is like an emotional tie for when they feel like they’re about to lose it. Usually it’s pretty depressing but sometimes they’re nice. Derek’s just changed and he was having some issues staying in check on the full moon-” The dog biscuits flew into the basket but his dad’s face was angry and intent waiting for him to finish. “He was in control just… snappy. Crankier than usual and it worries him. His anchor just changed from a sad one to a happy one I guess so he wants everyone to have multiple to fall back on in case theirs change too. It’s not a big deal but I think it’s a good idea.”

They did the rest of their shopping in silence. Once the healthy and junky snacks were paid for, the addition of the dog biscuits still making Stiles chuckle every once in a while, they were on their way to the old Hale house.

“What was his anchor?”

“That’s his choice if he wants to tell you. He’s having so much trouble because it was anger based and now that it isn’t his anchor anymore, every time he instinctively reaches for it he just gets angry so instead of keeping him grounded and in place, it pulls him down and makes everything worse. His new anchor is me so it’ll help for me to be around for a few days until he gets used to the change.”

“Is that an excuse for me to be more comfortable with you dating?”

“No. But if it works then yeah.”

There’s some more silence and Stiles thinks this is the most awkward things have ever been with his father. Lies and disappointment included. Which is weird because he’s taking everything pretty well and he’s curious and trying to get involved and he took a day off work which is great – the man just bought dog biscuits as a joke! But the silence has never been awkward before and it’s scaring him.

“How do you feel about this whole mate thing?” His dad was asking, and Stiles was glad he wasn’t driving because he’s pretty sure these surprise attack questions would have taken him off the road by now.

“It’s big. I mean, I’ve honesty had a crush on him for a while but it was just a crush. And then last night it turns into this huge important thing and I want to try it. It’s been so easy to just dive right in and I keep getting these waves of emotion off him that aren’t mine and whenever he starts having trouble with control, I start having trouble with my own like we’re already connected even though we haven’t done anything to really solidify the bond so it’s just been so easy but so fast.”

His dad is smiling and shaking his head. “I remember that feeling.”

“Yeah?”

“With your mom.” Stiles stares at his father’s profile as he drives. His dad never brings up mom unless he’s a few drinks in. “I followed her around trying to impress her for months before she finally came up to me and asked me if I would just make a move already. You’re supposed to play it cool, say let’s go out next week or at least give it ‘til Friday or Saturday, but I remember it was a Monday and I asked her to have dinner with me that night and she said yes. She didn’t think I was this desperate idiot and we went out and I was terrified because I had been waiting for so long for her to even look at me and then I was sitting across the table from her talking about Star Wars versus Star Trek and she was such a geek. She used all these big words like they weren’t just movies about space and I felt like such an idiot but as much as she scared the living daylights out of me with how pretty and funny and smart she was, she looked at me like I was really something too and I just couldn’t find it in me to let her go. One minute it was a crush and then everything just fell into place.”

Stiles let the story wash over him as he looked out the window into the woods. He could see the path up ahead they would need to take. “Don’t pull on the trail yet.”

“Why?”

“They’ll know we’re crying.”

“How do you get used to this crap?” He pulled over and Stiles slouched down in the seat to lean against him as they pretended not to see each other wipe their eyes. “I’m so sorry Stiles.”

“For what?”

“For not believing you. Your mom would have believed you. She would have run out here with you to research a case. She probably would have known this stuff was real all along.”

“It’s okay dad.” That silence takes hold again but it’s not so awkward anymore. Even though two guys crying in a car together and ignoring it should probably make the top ten most awkward moments of his life list.

“We’re going to be late.”

“That’s fine, let ‘em get all sweaty.”

His dad laughs and he counts that as a success. “How long have you had this crush?”

“Hmmm…somewhere between him threatening my life if I didn’t stay out of his way and him playing along when I asked him to change shirts in front of Danny to persuade him to do… absolutely legal things on my computer in the name of research. Oh, and there was that time when the bad Alpha, Peter, literally ran his claws into his back like right through his stomach and it was all me and Scott’s fault but he still tried to protect us and I thought he was dead and it hurt. Not like guilt but like… And then when he was alive and didn’t kill us for telling the cops he attacked the school, you know that was nice too.”

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say you kept having me arrest him to get his attention.”

They both laugh until Stiles is in tears again. “There’s nothing normal about this relationship, is there?”

“Not really kiddo.”

“Alright, let’s go throw dog biscuits at our favorite wolf.” His dad chuckles as he pulls back onto the road and down the path. It didn’t take long for them to be able to hear the training session up ahead. A roar ripped through the woods followed by the crash of what was probably a beta into a tree.

“You sure this is safe?”

“Yeah. Absolutely. I’m sure it was um…nothing.” Nothing was currently in the form of Jackson with a ripped and bloody shirt sliding across the hood of their still moving car before continuing to tear through the woods like his life depended on it. He was followed closely by a wolfed out Derek and Scott. Derek slowed for a second, taking in the car before he sped off again. Scott stopped to nod and give the Sheriff a wave, shuffling in place for a moment like he was guilty which made Stiles stomach drop for reasons he didn’t want to know and took off after the sound of another crash in the woods. “Yup. So that was probably a training exercise.”

“Was that…”

“Scott. He probably thinks you’re not going to like him because he’s a wolf.” His dad sighed and kept driving. “He’s a little sensitive about it because he was the only one who didn’t choose it and his girlfriend is a hunter. Just go easy on him.” Stiles winced as another bang echoed through the woods. Yeah, this wasn’t good.

“That’s not a druid blowing things up in the woods is it?”

“You made a funny. That’s cute.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Stay Tuned! for Part 4: Is This Training or Foreplay?
> 
> \- 
> 
> edited 11 January 2014  
> Please bring any mistakes we missed to the comment section or thebadassisin.tumblr.com/ask  
> Thank you - WT


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